


one year later

by SylphEmblem



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Soen no Kiseki/Akatsuki no Megami | Fire Emblem Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn
Genre: Greil is mentioned, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-04
Updated: 2017-08-04
Packaged: 2018-12-10 21:26:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11700192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SylphEmblem/pseuds/SylphEmblem
Summary: It's been a year since Greil died.--Fire Emblem Rarepair Week 2k17: Day 5Prompt: visiting





	one year later

⠀  
⠀  
⠀Shinon was silent today.  
⠀  
⠀Not a good sign.  
⠀  
⠀There were no sarcastic quips from him, or insults, just tired eyes and messy hair. Gatrie stood close to him, like he was guarding him, but he had the same solemn expression. He knew if anyone looked at the other the wrong way, he would respond in the worst way possible and bite their head off.  
⠀  
⠀No one would though. Not today, a year after Greil's death. No one had the motivation to even try to make jokes with each other, pretend it was all okay when it wasn't.  
⠀  
⠀What Shinon wanted to do was get to the nearest tavern and drink until he blacked out, but Gatrie refused to let him. "We have ale here," he said. "I'm not letting you go out there. Too dangerous. For both of us."  
⠀  
⠀He knew that the blond was right, but it didn't piss him off any less. "When I punch someone today, don't be surprised." He said, though the words lacked any bite and he rested his head on Gatrie's shoulder, shifting his position on the bed. "Fuck, Gatrie."  
⠀  
⠀"Yeah. I know." Gatrie wrapped an arm around Shinon's shoulders. "I know."  
⠀  
⠀They sat in comfortable silence for some time, thinking, "what could I have done differently?"  
⠀  
⠀Both knew that there was nothing they could have done differently. It was going to end up the same.  
⠀  
\--  
⠀  
⠀At some point, Gatrie fell asleep.  
⠀  
⠀When he woke up, Shinon was gone.  
⠀  
⠀An even worse sign.  
⠀  
⠀He rubbed the sleepiness out of his eyes, stepping out into the warm night. The moon was high. It was later than he thought.  
⠀  
⠀There were two places he thought that Shinon could be: one was the tavern, and he prayed to Ashera that wasn't where he went, and the other would be Greil's grave. He went back inside to grab a blanket, walking towards the outskirts of camp.  
⠀  
⠀Thank the goddess he was right.  
⠀  
⠀He could see Shinon visiting the grave from a few feet away, knees pulled up to his chest and shoulders slumped. There was a bottle of unopened ale next to him, and one in his hand.  
⠀  
⠀"Hey." Gatrie said.  
⠀  
⠀Shinon said nothing, merely waving a hand to let Gatrie know he acknowledged him.  
⠀  
⠀"You're going to catch your death out here." He moved next to him, kneeling beside him.  
⠀  
⠀"So be it."  
⠀  
⠀Gatrie wrapped the blanket around Shinon's shoulders regardless, deciding not to speak on the puffiness of his eyes.  
⠀  
⠀"It's late."  
⠀  
⠀"Yeah." Shinon swished the drink in his hand, letting out a heavy sigh through his nose. "Couldn't sleep."  
⠀  
⠀He nodded, moving to cross his legs as he sat, staring down the grave in front of them. He couldn't think of anything to say.  
⠀  
⠀"He didn't deserve to die." Shinon said quietly, taking a swig. "We shouldn't have to sit here visiting his grave. He should still be alive."  
⠀  
⠀"Shinon..."  
⠀  
⠀"He saved me, ya know?" Part of him told him he should stop talking, but he ignored it. "Had the commander not hired me, I'm positive I would be dead too. Maybe I should be. Maybe if were dead he would still be here."  
⠀  
⠀"Don't. Do you think he would want you saying that?"  
⠀  
⠀"What does it matter?" He mumbled bitterly. "He's not coming back either way. Nothing we do can bring him back."  
⠀  
⠀Gatrie fell silent, a frown on his lips and his hands in his lap. "I still don't think you should talk about yourself that way." He said softly.  
⠀  
⠀"What way?"  
⠀  
⠀"That you should be dead."  
⠀  
⠀Now it was Shinon's turn to be silent. He held onto the blanket a bit tighter, a shiver running through him. He took another drink.  
⠀  
⠀"Greil wouldn't want you dead."  
⠀  
⠀"Don't use him against me."  
⠀  
⠀"I'm _not_." Gatrie's voice was harsher than he intended, half of him feeling bad for accidentally making Shinon flinch, the other half knowing he needed to hear this. "But you should know most of all that he would want you to keep living. You, aside from Titania, know him best of all of us. And if you claim he saved you, then _goddammit_ , keep living for him. Even if he's not here anymore."  
⠀  
⠀The redhead took in a deep breath and nodded once, shifting so he could rest his head on Gatrie's lap, blanket still around him.  
⠀  
⠀"You scared me, not being there when I woke up. I was praying you didn't go out to drink." His voice reverted back to its usual calmness.  
⠀  
⠀"Sorry. I didn't want to come here and be surrounded by everyone else. I'm sure there would have been a fight."  
⠀  
⠀Gatrie rubbed Shinon's shoulder, sighing. "I know. I'm glad there wasn't a repeat of yours and Boyd's brawl from last year."  
⠀  
⠀"Me too." He said. "Even though I totally won."  
⠀  
⠀He smiled a bit, shaking his head. "Whatever you say."  
⠀  
⠀Shinon reached one of his hands up to meet Gatrie's hand on his shoulder, interlocking their fingers. "I just hope Greil is doing all right."  
⠀  
⠀"I think so." He glanced up to the sky. "If he's watching, he's probably proud."  
⠀  
⠀The sniper shut his eyes, trying to relax if only for a moment.  
⠀  
⠀"We should head back soon." Gatrie said. "You'll be more comfortable in a bed."  
⠀  
⠀"Probably." He mumbled, looking at the grave one more time. "I'll more than likely wake up with a cold tomorrow."  
⠀  
⠀"I'll take care of you. C'mon." He let Shinon sit up, and stood himself.  
⠀  
⠀"Wait." Shinon said as he stood, taking the other bottle of ale and placing it beside the grave. "That's for you, Commander. Just like old times."  
⠀  
⠀He smiled, taking Shinon's hand as they began to walk back.  
⠀  
⠀It got a little easier to visit again after that.  
⠀

**Author's Note:**

> My mind: the prompt is visiting? Like visiting a grave? Like Greil's grave. They're visiting Greil's grave  
> Me: ok
> 
> This was not what I expected from a summer prompt idea AND YET
> 
> Tumblr: sylphofhope


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